Author: admin

Saving Money Tips – Buying a New Car

Our car cleaning products can’t be found in any grocery or hardware store it is available only through a handful of authorized distributors across the country. A new car sounds lovely doesn’t it? Imagine the purr of the new engine and the looks you will get as you drive down the road in the latest model of your chosen car. However, we also know that the new model of today will be the old superseded model in the not too distant future and that the value of the car will go down very quickly.

So with this in mind we really need to be careful when considering whether or not to buy a new car.

Before rushing off to the car yard, you should grab out a large sheet of paper and write up the top “Do I really need to buy a new vehicle?” Then let the brain cells take a journey and come up with all of the reasons that you can to justify going out and getting a new car. Underneath this, write down all of the reasons to justify why you shouldn’t go out and buy a new car.

Here are some ideas to get you started and some common reasons that people write down:

1. Reasons to buy a new car

Car too small / big

  • Starting a family and need more room
  • Can’t fit in all of my gear
  • Can’t transport all of the kids and their friends around
  • It is just us now so we don’t need such a large car
  • We are going away so we need more leg room and storage capacity

No air conditioning

  • It is just so hot each summer we bake in our car

No air bags

  • The car has never been fitted with air bags

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)

  • We need to have a cd player
  • Some new vehicles have an in built GPS so we need one too
  • The stereo is broken so we need to replace the car

Costing too much money to run

  • I am always spending money on this car
  • The car always seems to be at my mechanic

Need to look good at work

  • My car is a status symbol of my wealth
  • My boss would look down on me if I didn’t drive a new car
  • Having a new car will portray a message to my clients that I am very successful

Too old

  • My car is x years old so it needs to be replaced
  • I have had this car x years so it is time for an upgrade to a new model
  • This model is old, I need the newer model

Petrol guzzler

  • I am always putting fuel into this car
  • I checked my credit card statement and boy my car is thirsty
  • I used to put in $x of fuel a week and now I am putting in $y

Running too fast / slow

  • I can’t keep up with every one else on the road
  • My foot is almost flat to the floor and yet we hardly seem to be moving
  • If I don’t sell this I am going to do damage to someone as it just zips off so fast I can’t keep in control

Want security of a new vehicle warranty

  • I do a lot of travel for work and I want peace of mind if something was to happen
  • If the car is under a warranty I won’t have to spend any money on it

No longer road worthy

  • The mechanic said the car isn’t road worthy
  • I don’t think the car would pass a road worthy test

Want to keep up with the Jones

  • My friend has just purchased one of these new cars so I want one
  • The neighbours have just purchased a new car so we should also buy one

I have been offered a good trade in

  • The new car sales man has offered me a good trade in
  • I want to trade now whilst I can get good value for my current car

I want a diesel vehicle

  • I want to change from petrol to diesel as I heard it is more fuel efficient

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan

  • I want to change from a sedan to a ute
  • I need to trade the ute for a 4wd
  • I need a 4wd for my upcoming holiday
  • I need a ute so I can shift houses

2. Reasons not to buy a new car

Can’t afford it

  • The repayments will be too high
  • It is a lot of money for me to spend on a car
  • The loan will take me 7 years+ to pay back

Don’t really need a new car

  • I am being silly, I don’t really need a new car
  • There are other things I need ahead of getting a new car

Old car is going well

  • My old car works just fine
  • I can always get from A to B so what else do I need

Too expensive

  • Although it is new, I feel it is still very expensive
  • There is a big gap between 2nd hand cars of 2-3 years to the price on these new cars

Will drop in value too quickly

  • I have heard as soon as you drive a new car out of the show room they drop significantly in value
  • 2nd hand cars seem like a much better alternative, I have seen they are much lower in value

Expensive on-road costs and stamp duties

  • When I buy a new car I will have to incur extra fees such as on-road costs and stamp duties. Aren’t these costs in the thousands?

Insurance will increase

  • When I get a new car, I know my insurance premium will increase significantly

Young family

  • I don’t know if my kids will look after a new car or treat it well; they are always banging the car doors into things
  • I know that kids are kids and it is hard to keep a car nice with them around

Have better things to spend my money on

  • I do have a lot of other important items on my wish list; a new fridge, high school fees, reduce mortgage, etc

Work may provide a vehicle

  • Work may offer me a car as part of my package at my next salary review

3. Then you need to carefully look at both lists and to analyse all of the reasons you have written down

  • How important is the reason you wrote down?
  • Look through your list and decide which reasons you have written down contain something that is a must have – this might be for safety reasons or security
  • Be careful here and very honest with yourself with what you consider to be absolutely critical
  • Look through your list and decide which items you have written down is a nice to have but something that you could do without – this might be a gadget or feature of the car that isn’t absolutely critical
  • Take the time to rank each item from 1 to 10 in level of importance
  • Look through your list of reasons not to buy a new car. How strong and valid are these reasons?
  • It is important that you spend a decent amount of time doing this exercise and that you are somewhere nice and quiet where you can really think about yourself very carefully. This exercise could save you thousands of dollars!

4. As part of your analysis you should now spend time looking for alternatives. Start with the items that are of highest importance to you.

Car too small / big

  • Consider hiring a trailer
  • Consider hiring a car for the holidays
  • Clean out your car and see what space you then have

No air conditioning

  • Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

No air bags

  • Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)

  • How much will it cost to have one fitted
  • Can you use a portable cd player / stereo
  • How much is a portable GPS
  • Can you make do with the radio

Costing too much money to run

  • Work out how much your car has actually cost you over 12 mths
  • Seek a professional opinion on the vehicle from your mechanic or local automobile club
  • Look carefully at how you treat your vehicle. Are you causing some of this cost?
  • What about your driving habits? Is this the cause of costing you money? Ie heavy braking or is your foot too heavy on the accelerator

Need to look good at work

  • You can still look good in a later model vehicle
  • Talk to your boss about being provided with a company car when you need to entertain clients
  • Talk to your boss about hiring cars / taxis when you need to entertain clients or travel
  • It seems pointless trying to look wealthy by owning a new vehicle if it is causing you financial grief and hardship. You will not be successful in your career if you spend all day worrying about how to pay your bills
  • Consider that a new car may put some clients off – your services may appear too expensive or that you don’t value money as you spend it on unnecessary items that decrease in value

Too old

  • How old is too old? There are some decent vehicles on the road that are 7-10 years old that are still running perfectly
  • Who states that there is a set time frame that you need to replace your vehicle
  • What will the newer model provide you with that your current car doesn’t provide you with

Petrol guzzler

  • Look at how much running around you are doing and whether or not you can seek alternatives such as car pooling, doing multiple tasks whilst out
  • Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing the extra fuel consumption
  • Consider how much the price of fuel has risen recently. Is this the real reason your petrol has increased
  • How much of the fuel bill on the credit card contains other items such as food and drink that you bought at the petrol station?

Running too fast / slow

  • Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing this to happen

Want security of a new vehicle warranty

  • Understand what is offered under the warranty
  • Consider having road side assistance from your local automobile club in case of break down
  • Keep your vehicle regularly serviced
  • Travel with a mobile phone so you can call for help in the case of an emergency

No longer road worthy

  • Get a couple of opinions on the road worthy status of your vehicle from a mechanic or your local automobile club.
  • Establish how much it will cost to get the vehicle road worthy
  • Seek a professional’s opinion on this matter

Want to keep up with the Jones

  • Why why why, do you need to keep up with what someone else is doing?
  • Be an individual and live your own life and not those of others

I have been offered a good trade in

  • A trick / marketing strategy for selling new cars is to lure people in by offering a high trade in
  • You either get a high trade in or low purchase price – it generally doesn’t happen that you get both
  • Is the salesman playing around with figures? They sometimes up the price of the trade in and lower the discount on the new car OR they sometimes lower the price on the new car and lower the price on the trade in
  • If you waited a year or two before swapping vehicles, what do you think you might get as a trade in then

I want a diesel vehicle

  • How much will it cost to get diesel fitted to your current car
  • Are there any government rebates in relation to diesel fitouts

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan

  • Can you hire the ute / 4wd / sedan for the particular period of use if it is only short term / one off
  • Can you borrow a friend’s ute / 4wd / sedan
  • Is it worth paying a tradesperson to do your job to negate this requirement

Detective Heather Wood is Managing Director and writer for Money Detective Pty Ltd.

Money Detective can help you with all of your money troubles. From our website full of factual information and articles, to our one on one personal money coaching, Money Detective can help you with all aspects of money management. Sign up for our Newsletter today and get yourself 6 free Money Clues [http://www.moneydetective.com.au].

To discover more ways you can save money and get in control of your finances, visit our Saving Money Tips section of our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2862053

Collect this Car, it’s a Classic!

Collecting Cars for Fun and Profit

Nanoshine car paint protection Adelaide has a near invisible film that protects against stone chips, scratches and scrapes. Antique and classic cars are being collected now more than ever. Classic car collectors learn their hobby over years and years of research and browsing, even attending a half dozen or more car shows each year. However, some basic information is available to help anyone begin the lifelong passion of collecting antique automobiles.

Definition of a Classic Car

A classic car is one that is more than 15-years old, while an antique car is more than 25-years old. A vintage car dates from the 1930’s or older. As well, there are different car eras, such as the Vintage Car Era, Classic Car Era, Muscle Car Era, and so on, and this is also important to understand.

Display and Drivable Cars

Some antique car collectors drive their cars everywhere, while others have theirs for display purposes only. Display cars often have the benefit of needing less maintenance to keep their classic feel and pristine condition. If you want to drive your classic car, remember that it will require more money for such services as paint and wax jobs, engine work, and inspections. Not only do antique cars lack modern safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes, but vintage cars may also lack modern conveniences like power steering, stereo systems, or even heat.

Expenses

Antique car collectors know that antique cars in general are very expensive investments, but there are several ways to cut these costs and make collecting cars an even more enjoyable experience. Many cars are simply left to rust away in lawns or in junkyards. These cars can often be bought at a real bargain for even a few dollars. However, the cheaper these cars are usually indicates what shape they come in. Therefore, several decisions must be made concerning the usability of the cars. Will they be driven? Do they need a new engine? What use will they have on a daily basis?

With some body work to remove rust and replace irreparable damage, these cars can even receive new interiors and engines. The most common work is a brand new paint job (the most noticeable and appreciable work), so a good deal can cost as little as $1000. With an interest in automobiles and a modest income, restoring antique cars can be the lifelong hobby of antique car collectors.

Ratings for Antique Car Appraisal

An antique car appraisal must be based on uniform standards to get a correct appraisal.

Parts Car, this means that the car is only to be used for individual car parts. The car itself has no value except for the individual parts that can be taken from it and used in other cars. The car might not be a candidate for restoration, and therefore appraisers will not waste other people’s time and money by declaring it usable except for parts.

Restorable, means the car in question has potential to be restored. The car model and make must still be recognizable to warrant this antique car appraisal rating. It may also need a complete body, chassis and interior restoration if it is appraised in this condition. Most likely the engine will also need some attention as well as the exterior, but not to the point that you restore more than a third of the body, chassis or interior.

Good, this antique car appraisal means that the automobile may need just a little tweaking to make it functional. The quality of restoration of the automobile may also affect the antique car appraisal. If it is functional yet the quality of restoration is poor, then the price will still not go up despite its good condition. The antique car appraisal should always include the quality of the restoration.

A Very Good antique car appraisal could mean that the automobile is functional and the amateur restoration is passable. The restoration might be rated as older or worn out to some extent but not as bad as expected. A Very Good antique car appraisal might be considered presentable and serviceable in the interior and exterior.

Fine is the antique car appraisal that means the automobile is restored very well and its original parts are well maintained to the point that they are in good working order.

The Excellent antique car appraisal means that the car in question has been restored to excellent professional standards and could possibly be a show car that is not driven or worn out but maintained for aesthetic purposes.

Antique Car Pricing

Antique car pricing depends on many different factors, and antique car pricing can vary from year to year. The prices can also vary depending on the point of sale. Antique car pricing depends on the age of the car, the condition of the car and special features on a car.

An antique car that is very old might be much more expensive than a newer classic car. These car prices fluctuate like more modern cars depending upon the condition. An antique car that is in mint condition could cost ten thousand dollars more than the same model in poor condition. Antique car pricing can also vary depending on the mechanics of the car. One that is road-ready will cost much more than one that looks good but does not move on the streets.

Antique car pricing depends on the year and the condition of the car, but the pricing can also depend on many of the various features in each car. Some of the classic cars have radios that actually still work while the older cars never do. Some of these cars have original mirrors while others have modern replicas. The fabric used in the interior could have a significant impact on the prices of antique cars; if the fabric in the interior is the original and in great condition, this is important in the price of the vehicle.

Many collectors of classic cars base their prices of the cars they have on a price guide. The antique car price guide gives approximations of how much a certain model of automobile may cost these days. The prices found in the antique car price guide are somewhat loosely approximated because not all cars of the same make and model are restored professionally or even restored properly. Popular price guides include MacRAE’s Blue Book online, and Kelley Blue Book.

The hobby of collecting antique and classic cars can be fun and enjoyable, and it can also incredibly rewarding, especially financially. As long as you are informed and take the situation seriously, you should not have any problems, and not only will you have a great time but as well can make quite a bit of profit for yourself if you go about things in the right way.

Steve Dolan is an avid collector and loves classic cars. Find out more about car collecting at Classic Cars and Vintage Cars and if you have other collections take a look at Collections and Collectibles

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Steve_Dolan/40296

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/953607

Why to Choose Professional Paint Services

Ceramic Pro is a slick, chemical resistant coating made of ceramic and glass and is part of our new car paint protection process. When you are hiring a painter from any reliable and professional paint services, it means that you are minimizing all that stress and disturbance which you have to face if you will not hire a professional painter. As a professional painter has all kind of training for different situations and circumstance, therefore you need not to take care of anything. Just leave the painter to do his/her work and you concentrate on all other important tasks, which you have to perform. Whatever is your wish as to repair your home or reinvent it for the beauty and good look; here are many paint services, which are available in this regard to help you and to make your home beautiful and good looking. There are different kinds of paints, which are available for the painting purpose of your home like latex, oil based, or acrylic products. It is necessary and fundamental of your home painting and its beauty that which paint you select.

Most of the paint services provide you those professional and experienced painters who help you and give you suggestion for this purpose, this is the beauty of a professional painter, and these professional provide these entire tasks as their duty. For example, a professional painter knows very well that where he has to use oil-based paint to seal tannin bleeding and where he has to use acrylic paint for stronger adhesion. All these qualities are in a professional painter who will provide you all necessary information as well as will reduce all your stress. Therefore, it is necessary that you hire a professional painter from professional paint services. When you will hire professional services for the painting of your home, they will excel their duties and performance due to which your cost for the maintenance of painting of your home will reduce. Painting which these professional do is always durable and it has capability of facing any kind of tear, wear, and decay.

All these things will not only save you expenditures which you have to pay for its up keep even it will also save your valuable time which you have to give for painting again or maintenance. Professional paint services also provide those professional, expert and experienced persons who have insurance policies for their protection as well as for the protection of things, which are in your home. From these policies, they will pay you any kind of damage in your home, which occur due to their actions. This thing also show credibility and quality of work which they are performing. If you are hiring a professional painter for the painting purposes of your home, you are actually insuring that it is warranty of your home painting. Guarantee provided by professional painter’s remains for many years;however, it depend upon material, which you have used for this purpose, and other factors which it will face like heat, humidity and sunlight. This professional service also provides warranty for no paint peel or minimum issues or loss during all this period, click here to check our policy.